The Eastern Conference finals have already begun but the Western Conference finals get underway Tuesday night between Oklahoma City and Dallas. The Mavericks are 5-0 at home in the NBA playoffs and are 6-point favorites to take Game 1.

Dallas is 9-0-1 ATS in the playoffs but it remains to be seen if its age can keep up with the talented and young Thunder squad led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The matchup of the series is between star forwards Durant and Dirk Nowitzki. Durant is averaging 27 points and seven rebounds per game. Nowitzki is averaging 23 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field and 89% from the free throw line.

Both teams won their division during the regular season. Dallas swept the Lakers in four games while Oklahoma City beat Memphis in seven games. The Mavericks won two of three games against the Thunder during the regular season. Nowitzki wasn’t playing in the lone loss but Dallas won both meetings in Oklahoma City as the underdog.

Six points is somewhat high on the point spread for the Mavericks. This is most likely because it took the Thunder seven games to get past the Grizzlies. They had trouble containing Memphis’ Zach Randolph but Nowitzki has less of a power game than Randolph. Oklahoma City should have an easier time containing Dallas’ Tyson Chandler and keeping Nowitzki out of the paint with the strength of Kendrick Perkins. The Thunder also have the edge at point guard with Westbrook’s speed against Jason Kidd and backup J.J. Barea. It will fall on Shawn Marion to limit two-time NBA scoring champion Durant and that alone doesn’t warrant a margin of victory by as much as six points.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks Game 1 Odds (provided by William Hill)

Thunder: 11/5

Mavericks: 5/13

Point Spread: Mavericks -6

Over/Under: 193

NBA Western Conference Championship Odds (provided by William Hill)

Dallas Mavericks: 10/23

Oklahoma City Thunder: 19/10